Blackblade 07.0 - Wheeling and Dealing
After a restful night at the Rochester AAA, the three adventurers reconvened to decide what to do about the businessman-turned-frog currently in their care. They decided that they may as well inquire with the suspected alchemist and known terrorist Yomiel first, since he was their closest lead. Before heading out to his house, they reunited with Wizard, who had been staying with the dishboy Steve. The kobold was overjoyed that they had returned as they had promised, and he readily began to follow them about, though he did need a rather firm explaination that the frog in the jar was not, in fact, for eating. A short walk away, in a rather clustered group of small apartments meant for bachelor millworkers and loggers, they found the address of Yomiel. When they knocked, the door was eventually answered by a dark brown-skinned man with a flat, emotionless expression. Raito, quickly deducing that this man was not one for idle chatter, got to brass tacks; it took less than a few minutes to determine that he could and would remove the curse, but not without a significant cash payment up front, which the group did not have in their possession. As they began to the AAA to try and get the money out of Aiden, Ragoom remembered that the Great Temple of Liartia, the largest shrine to the goddess of healing, could not be too far from their location, and that they would probably help for free, or at least a lot less. Unfortunately, having never been too far from his hometown, he didn't know the exact location, meaning that they had to go back to the AAA anyways. Upon arriving, they found that Aiden had fallen asleep in the main office. Steve, however, did know the location of the temple, only about a two-day walk down the road east from town. Before setting out, Raito called Aiden, freshly awoke from Steve's yells regarding giant eagles, and pressed him into agreeing to pay for their service. Obviously upset with the idea, but unwilling to say anything direct in case his employer was in fact watching him as a frog, Aiden promised that they would be compensated after his employer returned. Content with his word, Raito led the others off, heading out of town along the eastern road. Later in the day, Ragoom caught sight of a strange glint in the sky, which quickly resolved itself into a metallic, fast-flying bird. The pigeon streaked towards Raito and hovered in front of him, offering a message that had been tied to its leg. When he accepted the note, the bird landed and turned into a statue, just in time for Wizard to jump on it and attempt to gnaw its steel feathers. Raito read the note, which was from Jack Callahan, and told the others that it was merely a note thanking them for their service, which also mentioned a reward, a dinner and possible jobs in the future. Since the note also stated that Jack wanted his bird returned, Raito wrote out a reply and attached it to the pigeon's leg, reactivating it and sending it back to its owner. When night fell, the group made camp near the road, not far from a small woodlot. The evening was uneventful: a welcome respite after their nights in the swamps and woods. However, during Raito's watch, a strange, small note appeared before him. Raito, drawing his sword, left his companions and walked over to a nearby woodlot. He returned shortly, and mentioned none of this to the others. Category:Banishment of the Blackblades